General discussion on allergies

Do any of you deal with allergies? Or are you one of those lucky people who isn't sensitive to anything at all?
I think it would be really helpful if we could share some real-world experiences regarding our occasional or even daily struggles with allergies.

I used to be allergic to dust mites, but I managed to get over it. Well, almost completely, anyway.
It honestly caused me massive issues, and there were times when it felt like a genuine handicap in my daily life.
I’m just so grateful today that I was able to sort it out, and I guess staying active with sports played a huge part in helping me recover.
What about you guys?

Back in my teens, I was allergic to basically everything under the sun. Every single morning, I’d wake up to some brand-new type of rash. Back then, they called it urticaria pigmentosa. Honestly, nothing I tried actually worked; it just eventually tapered off on its own once I hit adulthood.

The only thing that stuck around is a penicillin allergy, which is a massive headache. Whenever I catch a minor cold or deal with sinus issues, I'm stuck taking these useless sulfonamides for months that don't even touch the symptoms anymore. Luckily, I'm not a hypochondriac, so I can handle it.

I'm not much of an athlete, but I'm certain that sticking to a clean diet, staying active, and getting plenty of time outdoors does the trick for me.🙂

I didn't have any allergies at all until I moved to Canada, and then suddenly my first summer here hit me with a nose so swollen it looked like a bell pepper, eyes watering, constant sneezing... I didn't even realize it was an allergy back then, and being a bit "sluggish" from it all doesn't help, so what do you think 😁

It wasn't until the following year that I finally went to see a doctor to get tested, and can you believe what they told me... I'm allergic to basic grass, maple trees, and even cats a little bit

There isn't really a cure besides those allergy shots, which might work or might not, and you won't even see results for maybe three or four years

So here I am, still keeping my cat even though he makes me sneeze sometimes, using Nasonex from May through October and going through an endless supply of tissues

Well... it's a bit inconvenient, but I guess I've just gotten used to it by now

My Junior dealt with spasmodic bronchitis starting at age 3, even though he never actually tested positive for any allergies.

It didn't matter if there was dust in the air or if pollen counts were high; the only thing that consistently made his condition worse was shifts in the weather.

Fast forward to today—he’s 14 now and hasn't had a single issue.

In my opinion, the whole thing was just a psychosomatic reaction.😕

Up until I was maybe 18 or 19, I didn't have any allergies at all. So, yeah, I managed to breeze through puberty—at least I hope that's how it worked—without any allergic reactions. The only thing was back when I was a tiny baby, they suspected I might be allergic to penicillin, but it turns out even that was a false alarm.

But man, now it feels like I'm allergic to everything! First off, the pollen started hitting me hard, and honestly, the worst part is that it seems to get more intense every single year. On top of that, I’ve also become super sensitive to fabric softeners and those aggressive new detergents they sell now. I have to go absolutely overboard rinsing all my clothes—especially my laundry—because if I don't, I end up scratching myself like a crazy person.😢

Knock on wood, I’ve never really had much luck with this stuff. I tried one serious medication once, but my doctor switched me to something else and it turned out fine.

But I can't shake that old statistic floating around—that in 20 or 30 years, 90% of the population in this Country will be allergic to something. Good grief, imagine if that actually happens.

It’s even worse when you see someone develop an allergy, go to the clinic for testing, and find out they're reactive to ten different things at once.

Personally, I think the best thing we can do is support our immune systems naturally—clean eating, staying active, and all that. Antihistamines aren't exactly a winning long-term strategy.

From about age five until I hit puberty, my list of triggers was endless: household dust, pet dander, feathers, black pepper, sugar, milk and dairy, cornmeal, and quite a few others I can't quite recall right now. And then—suddenly—it just vanished. Nothing at all.

Around age 6, I had some Pseudo Krupp (was it an allergy?). It passed without any treatment besides spending time in the mountains (if only I could escape to the Rockies today).

A few years ago, long after puberty, I dealt with a runny nose and itchy eyes during a specific window—late March to early April. No clue why. My "treatment" was just paper tissues and homeopathic eye drops.

Is it actually possible to develop asthma starting from what seems like a harmless allergy?

It’s actually quite possible if someone isn't seeking treatment... especially when dealing with respiratory allergies... though, I guess it's mostly just down to early onset age.

Michael Perez5 said:Do you guys deal with allergies? Or are you just incredibly lucky and totally immune to everything?
It would be great if we could all swap some real-world stories about our occasional or even daily struggles with allergy symptoms.

I used to be allergic to dust mites, but I actually managed to kick it. Pretty much completely.
Man, I had it rough back then—sometimes it felt like a total handicap in my day-to-day life.
I'm honestly just glad I figured it out, and getting into sports really helped me turn things around.
What about you lot?

EJ Star, seriously though, how on earth did you manage to get rid of your allergies for good??
I mean, I've been dealing with this since I was a kid, and every single time I step out into nature, the sneezing starts, my nose runs, my eyes start watering... it's a nightmare.
I take the usual stuff, Claritin, maybe some Gnosiol too, but let's be real—it’s just a temporary fix!

I'm into sports too—mostly swimming—and being in the ocean always makes me feel a bit better.
But every doctor I've ever seen just tells me it's a chronic condition and there's no permanent "cure."
Just management through meds, they say.

So yeah, I'm dying to know what your methods were to finally shake off this annoying "disease"...

Michael Perez5 said:Anyone else dealing with allergies? Or are you just one of those lucky people who can breathe easy through everything?
It’d be cool to swap some real-world stories about our daily struggles with allergy season.

I used to be allergic to dust mites—it was a nightmare. But I actually managed to kick it. Pretty much totally cured.
Honestly, it used to mess with me big time; it was practically a handicap in certain situations.
So glad I sorted it out, and honestly, staying active with sports really helped pull me through.
What about you guys?

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If you don't mind sharing, how did you actually manage to beat it?

My son is allergic to three different types of dust and mites.
I've read up a ton on these mites—where they hide, what they eat (basically human skin cells, hair, sweat... gross, they look like monsters under a microscope)
Long story short, I ripped all the carpets out of the house, ditched the curtains, and got him anti-allergy bedding. He's breathing way better now.
But now, since I'm living in Germany, the doctors here told me his third tonsil is swelling up because of the allergies, and they're recommending surgery.
We've got the procedure scheduled, but I gotta ask—will the allergies ever actually go away for good?

Allergies are such a wild card. It’s almost impossible to predict how they’ll play out, and honestly, a lot of them just vanish once you finally hit adulthood. Think about it—your immune system is basically a work in progress, much like your brain, constantly evolving based on whatever environmental triggers you run into. Interestingly, allergies seem way less common in developing countries compared to things like parasites, which suggests there might be some truth to the idea that kids should just be allowed to go outside and get a little dirty. Basically, letting them explore their surroundings without being overly sanitized might actually help.
In all seriousness, we still don't know nearly enough about how our respiratory, digestive, or skin systems interact with environmental antigens. If you want my two cents, the best move is to encourage a diverse diet and plenty of movement from a really young age.

steeldrifter6 said:I was just told (while I'm here in Germany) that there is actually a third tonsil that swells up due to allergies, and they recommended having it removed.
The surgery is already scheduled, but it makes me wonder: will these allergies ever actually go away?

Everyone has a third tonsil; it just doesn't cause issues for everyone.

My Junior dealt with spasmodic bronchitis because doctors couldn't pin down a specific cause, so they suggested surgery on his third tonsil. I did my homework, read up on it, and talked it over with his pediatrician before ultimately deciding against the operation. Usually, after age six, that third tonsil shrinks down and stops being an issue anyway.

Sean Lee9 said:Hey EJ Star, how on earth did you manage to kick your allergies for good??
I mean, I've dealt with this since I was a kid. Every time I spend time outdoors, the sneezing starts, my nose runs, my eyes water... it's constant.
I take things like Claritin and even Gnosiol, but honestly, it feels like nothing lasts.

I stay active too—I swim quite a bit—and being in the ocean really helps me feel better.
The doctors I've seen have told me it’s just a chronic thing and there isn't some permanent cure out there.
It's just something you manage with meds every now and then.

So, I'm curious, what kind of methods did you use to finally beat this annoying "condition"...

Claritin is definitely the gold standard... especially since it doesn't make you drowsy and has the fewest side effects.
For me, it was mostly dust mites and that specific pollen you don't really get down at the Coast... so, I guess if I had moved to the coast, I might never have had issues.
I actually cleared it up between the ages of 18 and 20 through allergy shots—specifically immunotherapy (I might not have the exact term right)—where they'd give me a shot in the shoulder once a week, and that was it. It worked incredibly well for me. But I think it's really important to do it as early as possible.
I don't have allergies anymore...

steeldrifter6 said:__________________________________________________---

If you don't mind sharing, could you tell me how you managed to recover?

My son deals with allergies to three different types of household dust and mites.
I’ve read quite a bit about these mites—where they hide, what they feed on (human skin, hair, sweat... yuck, they look absolutely terrifying under a microscope).
Basically, I stripped all the carpets out of the house, got rid of the heavy curtains, and switched him to anti-allergy bedding. He's breathing much better now.
However, doctors here (I'm currently in Germany) told me his adenoids are swelling up because of the allergies, and they suggested it might be best to just have them removed.
The surgery is already scheduled, but I can't help wondering: will the allergies ever actually go away completely?

It would be wonderful if you lived near the Coast... though I know that isn't exactly a simple solution. I truly believe specific immunotherapy combined with Claritin is the BEST way to handle this... for sure!

Betty Rivera14 said:Everyone has tonsils, they just don't cause issues for everyone.

My Junior suffered from spasmodic bronchitis, and since they couldn't find a clear cause, they actually suggested surgery to remove his tonsils. I did quite a bit of reading on the subject, talked it over with our pediatrician, and ultimately decided against the operation. I figured that after age six, those tonsils usually shrink anyway and stop causing trouble.

As for me, I was being diagnosed with all sorts of chronic bronchitis throughout my childhood. It turns out everything was blamed on an allergy that nobody ever actually tested me for! That lack of answers really took a toll on my respiratory system and weakened my immunity over time.

Michael Perez5 said:It would be great if you lived by the coast...

If only you could see how many kids deal with health issues out here on the Coast...🙄 It’s not some universal rule.

People used to claim the coke plant in Copper was the culprit. And honestly, ever since they shut it down, the rate of chronic respiratory diseases has dropped. 😲

Betty Rivera14 said:Everyone’s got tonsils—they just don't bother everyone.

My Junior dealt with this awful spasmodic bronchitis, and since they couldn't pin down the cause, they actually suggested surgery on his tonsils. I did a ton of reading on it, talked things over with our pediatrician, and ultimately decided against the operation. I mean, isn't it true those tonsils usually shrink up after age 6 anyway?

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Yeah, I get that—but my son started having issues when he was about 4. He's 8 now.
His tonsils are so swollen that his nose is basically useless; he’s constantly mouth-breathing, his mouth is always bone-dry, and the snoring at night is intense—especially if there's any carpet in the room, he'll literally choke.
The doctors ran all the tests and basically told us surgery is the only real way to go.

Michael Perez5 said:Living near the coast would be a dream... though obviously, it’s not that simple. Specific immunotherapy paired with Claritin is definitely the way to go... for sure!

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Man, if only life were that easy—I wish I lived by the Coast, but instead I'm stuck out here in the foothills of the Alps where the air is super clean and there's zero industry nearby.

For me, using Nasonex helped a bit, but honestly? The real game-changer was just tossing out my old rug.
They say after surgery you'll be a "new person" and actually have an appetite again. Well, fingers crossed! Thanks for all the help, everyone!

Regarding the adenoids, my daughter's really flared up after she turned 8. It was scary—she could barely breathe, had an insatiable appetite, and was snoring so loudly at night that we were worried. Surgery ended up being the only way to go, and honestly, it was a lifesaver! Once it was over, all those issues just vanished. I've heard some talk that if those adenoids get too big, it can actually mess with a kid's vision, though I can't say for sure.
My little one is nearsighted, but I'm just not certain if the adenoids played a role in that.